Categories: Entertainment News

“The River” Ratings Start Slowly; Viewers Depart After First Hour

NBC’s midseason slate got off to a strong Monday, with both “The Voice” and “Smash” delivering in their timeslot premieres. The same cannot be said for ABC’s lineup.

Tuesday’s two-hour premiere of “The River” started slowly, garnering just a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating and 7.5 million viewers. Given the curiosity inflation that typically accompanies a drama premiere of the sort, the number is a definite disappointment.

Worse, as the show progressed, it turned off a sizable portion of its audience. After beginning with a 2.5 rating at 9PM, it steadily dipped by a tenth each half-hour, closing its opening night with a 2.2 at 10:30PM.

The 9PM viewership average was 8.2 million, compared with 6.8 million for hour two.

Given that trend and the already-disappointing introductory viewership, should not hold his breath on “The River” turning itself into a hit.

Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002. Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj. Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.

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Brian Cantor